Bangladesh poultry industry could lose Tk 16bn to coronavirus crisis: association leader

Bangladesh’s poultry farmers have counted losses in billions of takas due to a sharp drop in demand, production and price during the coronavirus shutdown, an industry spokesman says.

Mashiur Rahman, the president of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council or BPICC, warned in a statement on Tuesday that the loss could cross Tk 11.5 billion by the time the shutdown will be over on Apr 4.

He said losses will shoot up to Tk 16.5 billion should the situation persist for another week. The government extended the shutdown to Apr 11 later in the day.

“Daily losses will be in the region of Tk 1 billion if the situation doesn’t improve even after this [Apr 4]. And it will take at least a month for the market to get back to normal,” he said and sought economic relief from the government.

Mashiur said the estimates he gave were made from Mar 20, six days before the shutdown began.

Panic buying led to a hike in prices of rice, lentil and other essential commodities but prices of chicken and egg have plummeted, he said.

As the lone certification authority, the Poultry Research and Training Centre under Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University remains shut, it is not possible to release raw materials of poultry industries from the port, he added.